


A Hundred Different Worlds to Love You

by wellthizizdeprezzing



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: A New Beginning, AU, Adventure, F/F, Meta, Romance, Second Chances, True Love, World Hopping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-10-05 20:21:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20494757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthizizdeprezzing/pseuds/wellthizizdeprezzing
Summary: Emma's dying and she's got regrets about marrying Hook. An Author takes pity on her, and gives her the opportunity to follow her dreams and to finally have the love story she deserves. Except, it takes her about a hundred tries to get it right.





	A Hundred Different Worlds to Love You

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [ArtWork from/A Hundred Different Worlds to Love You.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20499584) by [alwaysthevillain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysthevillain/pseuds/alwaysthevillain). 

> Thanks to versacesq for making the amazing art work. It's matches the story so well. And thanks to the mods for making this SQSN possible. May Swen prosper for many years to come :)

_ **World One: Canon ** _

_ Once upon a Time _

She was dying.

Except this time it was for real.

The Savior was dying of the one thing magic couldn't fix- old age.

Her hospital bed was crowded by familiar faces. Familiar faces all wearing the same mask of concern and fear and helplessness as they watched her struggle to even breath.

Tubes criss crossed her body like a crime scene, trying to preserve her. To keep her going. But there was only so much they could do.

“There's no need to be sad,” she said to the crowd of family and friends. Killian was sitting by her side, clasping her hand tightly. These days he had a comb over on the top of his head and a gray mustache that was currently drooping with despair as his eyes watered. Even after all these years he still wore those damned leather jackets, though this one was cracked and peeling, bits of brown showing through the black. It was a tight fit around his enlarged figure, the years making a soft belly form.

Their daughter, Hope, stood by their side. She was grown now and she carried her son and their grandchild Henrik in her arms, swaying the three year old who was too young to understand what was going on yet. She had grown into a strong and beautiful woman who was business minded and ran a successful little bake shop.

Henry stood on Emma's other side with his own daughter and wife, Regina completing the huddle. She had aged wonderfully, her gray hair and the bags under her eyes the only sign of her being well into her sixties. And though she was now the Good Queen, she had left her crown and gown behind to dress as the simple mayor once more in her goodbyes to Emma.

And she had had the sense to leave Robin out of this, though their two boys Roland and Marcus were here. This wasn't the original Robin that Regina had married. The original one was a massive ass wipe that had left her and so she'd traveled to another universe using her powers and found one there, entirely stuck on the notion that he was her soul mate and no one else.

Henry had grown up so much from the angry little boy he had been. He was a hero now and his daughter too was beautiful and she helped him on his adventures. Emma was proud of him for having such a good family. Just like she was proud of Hope for having such a great family too.

“Ma,” Hope spoke up, voice cracking but Emma shushed her.

“It could have been worse,” Emma said, her frail voice shaking. “As a savior I fought all these terrible magics and villains and I could have easily had a horrid fate. Could have died many times over. But I didn't, because I was lucky enough to make it up to the point where my body simply doesn't want to work anymore and I can go peacefully.” It had all been so sudden. One minute Emma had been in excellent health and the next her body was giving out on her. She'd been in the hospital for months now, unable to do much of anything or be of use to anyone. Her body had shrunk and become thin. Her skin sallow and her hair brittle. They had run tests on her and couldn't find anything wrong. And then Regina had run her own tests with magic, tried to find a cure for her, but nothing. There was no way to cure old age. To keep Emma living a bit longer.

And it had frustrated Regina so much to have her best friend dying that it almost threatened to bring out the evil queen in her once more. But Emma had gotten her to sit down on the hospital bed and listen to her. Back then Emma could still sit up and talk normally because her soul had only been slipping away centimeter by centimeter to the other side instead of the miles it was doing now.

She had taken her friend's warm hands in hers and squeezed hard. “Regina. It's okay.”

“No, it's not,” Regina hung her head, trying to hide the glittering tears running down her cheeks. The waterworks containing so much anguish and frustration and despair at not being able to help. “You're dying and I can't do anything to help.”

Emma hated seeing her friend like this. Her pain made her feel anguished. “I don't want you to help,” she said softly. “I don't. For once, Regina, just let things be.”

Regina raised her head, staring at Emma with disbelief in her eyes. “Emma-”

“Don't. Some things you just need to learn to let go and leave be, or else you'll never be able to continue living on,” Emma continued speaking in hushed tones, running her fingers over the knuckles on Regina's hands. Her voice was laced with suffocated pain.

She was telling Regina words of advice she herself had used in order to continue living. Many years ago when they had still been quite young, in their thirties, Emma had been in a dark place. And it hadn't been when she was the dark one, but because of Robin.

There had always been that spark, that connection between her and Regina ever since they first saw each other and began butting heads. As time had gone on and they had become friends, that connection between them grew, but maybe Emma had been the only one to feel it, because she'd kissed Regina and scared her away and the next thing Emma knew, Regina was in the arms of Robin freakin' Hood.

And that had hurt. Hurt when Regina had chosen a pine sucker over her. But she figured things weren't meant to be and so she'd decided to forget about all this, forget about her feelings for Regina, Forget about the kiss and move on with Killian. Killian who loved and wanted her.

And soon with time, those feelings were buried as Emma became a wife and then a mother and then a grandmother. And through all this time she and Regina continued to fight any evils that might approach the town, though thankfully there were less because the Good Queen made sure no one hurt her town and her friends and family.

But now that Emma had a deadline on her life, she began to think on long buried things. Had she made the most of her life? Had she gotten to do everything she wanted? Most importantly, had she lived it the way she wanted to?

The answer to those questions were an unsure yes. She hadn't had much of a choice. Her destiny as Savior was conscripted by the stars. There was nothing she could do to change that. She couldn't regret the role when she had come to love it and cherish it. It made her feel like someone. Like she had a purpose in life greater than others.

And of course, there were things she wished she had done better, or hadn't done at all. She could remember all the blunders in her life. All the times she had hurt others with her words and actions. If her parents were here, she would have thanked them for loving her and supporting her, even if they had thrown her into a wardrobe. But with them gone to the sands of time, she would have to content herself on seeing them in the afterlife, wherever it was fairytale creatures went when they died.

But there was one glaring regret she had ignored for most of her life because she had been so set on tricking herself into being happy.

She loved Killian, and she loved her family, but what if things had been different? Her feelings for Regina had never truly died but she never acted out on them, because she thought things had moved on and that it was too late. They were both deep in their roles that life had given them. Deep in building their families and Regina had been happy. The last thing Emma wanted to do was impend on that and ruin it all for her.

But what if Emma hadn't just let the kiss slide? What if she had fought for Regina? Tried to show her how much she loved her and how much better they could be together? Would have Regina kissed her back? Would she had said yes to them dating? Could they have had their own happy family? If only...

Regina shook her head, too overcome by Emma's words to say anything and so they sat in silence, just looking at each other, and all of Emma's regrets played in her mind about what could have been if she tried harder.

Back in the present Emma let out a bone rattling cough. She could feel it. Her time was coming closer. Life leeching out of her into the dark abyss so quickly she feared she would not have time to say her last goodbyes.

“It's alright. I'm not afraid to move on,” she assured as they looked down at her in increasing concern. Even Ruby and Belle had managed to come from Oz to see her, and they were standing at the end of her bed, along with Tink, and some of the nuns.

“I don't want you to move on. I lost Don and now you too?” Hope balked tearfully, her eyes watering.

Emma smiled wryly. There was nothing she could do about this. “You are strong. Have always been strong. And that is because we named you after the strongest power in this world after true love. And that is hope. Always have hope to prevail and you will,” Emma said. Her vision was beginning to cloud over. No, she had wanted to look at her loved one's faces before she left. Had wanted to see Regina one last time before. She struggled to fight against it but gave up almost right away.

All her life she had had to fight. Now, wasn't the time for it. Now, she could finally stop having to fight for everything.

The time was almost here. She could feel her heart sputtering weakly in her chest like an engine running out of fuel. Thousands of happy memories, sad memories, and funny memories of her loved one's ran through her mind. Not a single memory of her own life was there because the value of her life had always been made up of those who were in it and not be her own measures of success.

But while they all faded away as her vision began to get dimmer and her body heavier and heavier, the last image in her mind was of Regina, silent tears streaming down her face as Emma finally

let

go.

…

Death did not look the way she expected.

Though to be fair, she hadn't really known what to expect. People don't really come back from there and talk about it.

Emma found herself in an all white room, and she sat up from her bed, feeling surprisingly robust. There were no tubes and machines around her and when she looked over her arms, they were smooth and young once more. Even her hair was healthy and long and blonde, just like it had been when she first came to Storybrooke. A man was sitting in front of her bed in an ornate chair, tapping his fingers on the leg slung on top of his shaking right leg.

“Ah, there you are!” he exclaimed, getting up to his feet. He was a thin man with round glasses on his face and a trench-coat over his suit and tie.

“What's- who-?” Emma questioned, getting up out of the bed. She was wearing white futuristic looking clothes. Certainly not the hospital gown she had left in.

He approached her, prattling off. “Emma Swan, the Savior of Storybrooke. So nice to see you now that your story has come to an end,” he shook hands with an out of sorts looking Emma, and then motioned for her to follow him. She did with a frown etched upon her face and confusion crowding her mind. The bed and chair disappeared, getting left behind even though Emma felt like they weren't moving at all in the white space around them.

“My story has come to an end?” Emma asked. “Is this what happens to all fairytale creatures? Our story ends so we get, what, recycled into another story or something like that? Are my mother and father here?”

“Oh good heaven's no!” the man chortled and a hint of a buried English accent showed up. She wondered if he was refuting her parents being here or just her theory in general. “No, you see, you are a separate case, Emma. I, am an author,” he announced, spreading his hands grandly as he walked on. “I wasn't the one solely responsible for the lovely little story of your town and I most certainly did not create your characters. Those are laid credit to those who came before me.” Here he paused and gave her a sheepish grin. “However, I was given the mantle of your tale and I kinda screwed you over.”

Of course it had to be an author's fault. “How did you screw us over?” How else could her life have been? Could it have been better?

He resumed walking. “I ruined your true love story and I want to make it up to you. You'll never have the real thing, as it won't be a canon story because the canon's ended, but eh, my effort's gotta count for something, right?” Emma wasn't sure if he was asking her for confirmation or not, so she didn't say anything.

But her love story? Ruined? Was there supposed to be more with her marriage to Killian? Was she supposed to be happier?

And not a canon story? Was he talking about her new story being a draft or something? A fanfic?

“Why do this for me?”

“Like I said, I screwed up. The previous authors gave me the reins to sort of preside over all of your stories because they got bored with it and wanted to move to greener pastures. And Once Upon a Time was supposed to be my debutante work. Unfortunately, I lost my way around season four. I caved in to pressure in making a hetero love story because I thought it would have the most mass appeal and in the process I sacrificed what could have been a true work of art. You lost most of your character in order to be with Killian and other characters sort of were pushed out of the main story.” He let out a bereaved sigh, deep in his monologue.

“I realized after all this time all the wasted potential of one of the greatest love stories ever. But, I won't force you into it. I realize now that the official story is over, you are free to make your own choices when it comes to such things. My time is over. My pen has writ what it has and I must stand by my work. It is too late to doctor it. I only hope some fans liked what was given.” This was declared with a bit of melodrama. “Now, I know you have regrets about your marriage with Hook and I'll let you have another go at love, in whatever kind of world you want. Honestly, anything you want, I'll write up for you. Until you are truly happy. Just say the word.”

This was kind of a lot to take in. “Seriously? With no strings attached?”

“Yes. Serious.” He turned to her, walking backwards, and ran a finger over his heart. “Cross my heart and hope to die.” And then his back hit some invisible door revealing a blue sky with small clouds, and it opened up and he fell right through it.

That was unexpected. Was he dead?

Emma looked down. She could make out a room of sorts there all the way at the bottom. It had a carpet with strewn books open to various pages. A big desk with crumpled up pieces of paper. And many upon many bookcases and comfy chairs to read in.

“Jump down!” he called out to her.

What the heck. It's not like she had anything else to do. She took a deep breath and stepped off, finding herself floating down very slowly and safely to the floor.

Her toes touched the soft carpet and once they did he rushed over to his desk, setting out a piece of paper. It was blank.

“Alright,” he rubbed his hands over it, part excitement, part anticipation. “Tell me, what kind of world do you want? I'll construct it for you.”

The possibilities of that were endless but Emma didn't know what she wanted. It was too big of a choice to make. “I don't know.”

“No worries. If you don't get it right on the first try, we'll try again.” A sudden idea struck him and he pulled open his drawer to pull out an archaic device. It looked like a mini typewriter, the size of his hand, and it had a small white screen on it.

“In fact, I've an AU generator here that will help us brainstorm.”

Emma looked oddly at him.

“What?” he questioned. “Even authors need help sometimes.”

She shook her head, taken aback at the oddity of all this. When she had died she had most certainly not been expecting this.

“Alright, lets use the generator. I've never been one for books.”

“Oh I know,” he gave her a knowing grin and Emma wondered how much he truly knew about her.

He pushed a button, span two knobs and then the device whirled to life. He jotted down what it said on the paper and made the device work again. This went like this for a while until he had a bunch of worlds written down on his paper.

“I've got a couple of suggestions here.” He cleared his throat, pushed his glasses up. But before he could start, before he could start this whole process of building a new world for her with her new love, Emma interrupted him. She needed clarification on a certain topic.

“Before we start, why is it so important that my love story gets fixed? Just the love story and nothing else.”

“Because like I mentioned before, the rest of your story happened as it was planned out to be. But I went the cheap route on the love story and as I've now realized that an author should never hold back his punches in order to create true masterpieces. I've decided to amend things as best I can. However, if you want I can also change your savior role and wipe it out of your history for you. Wouldn't that be a relief?”

But Emma was thinking on her love story still. About how it had been butchered. How the author had said it could have been one of the more compelling love stories and he had ruined it.

The first thing her mind went to was Regina. But no....could it be? Were they meant to be canon after all but the author had chickened out?

Was that why Emma had never felt persuaded to go after Regina? Why Regina rudely rejected that kiss? All because the author decided it should be like that? Emma felt a tad pissed off at the author. She could have had her first choice instead of settling!

But if she was never supposed to be with Regina, why did she even gain feelings for her in the first place? Maybe there was a part of them the author couldn't touch? That even his magic failed to reach and destroy true love?

“True love is the strongest magic of all. I wasn't lying when I made that the basis of pretty much everything in Storybrooke.”

Emma jumped, startled. “You can-”

“-read your thoughts? Yes,” he said, raising a brow in amusement at her puzzled face. “I did write you, don't forget. And I know what you think and feel when I want to tap in. And the reason for your feelings for Regina is because of true love. It's power overrides a lot of things. Besides, the first author in charge of your series did leave a lingering attraction between you and Regina in order to increase the tension behind your fights and to sort of bait audiences into watching. But when other's took over, they gradually did away with it, making it more of a backburner idea until I eradicated it due to my compulsion to please a certain demographic. But now, I'm going to wipe the slate clean of all that. I don't want you to have to worry about what could have been with Regina. I'm going to remove any lingering feelings so that you are free to choose who you love on your own. In these new worlds I'm going to create, I'm going to bring everyone back just as how they were written, this way, you have the opportunity to fall for who you want and stop having to be at my will. You make your own choices. You have your own agency,” he assured and it meant a lot for him to be giving this up, but from all characters, he felt like Emma was owed this the most.

“So like a choose your own adventure book,” Emma stated.

“Yes, but with no dead ends or deaths. Just happiness and adventure for all,” he cheered, wagging his brows. “Now, with the list of AU's we've been given, I am going to put you into them and gauging how happy you are to be in them, I won't pull you out until you press this.” He handed her a brooch with vines and leaves crawling up the imprinted ES there, that he had produced from his pocket. “Feel the need to eject or reset and just rub the letters three times.”

“Will I know I'm in these worlds? Or will I just be unaware of my own existence that was created?”

“No need to be grouchy on that,” the author commented, sensing Emma's distress at being controlled all her life. At never being able to truly make her own choice. “After all, are not all creations at the mercy of their creators and all creators at the mercy of their creations? We want what's only the best but have to follow certain laws in place that stop us too. There's no use in getting upset over it. You're getting another chance to do this all over, this time, your way. No one else can say such a thing. No one else has this honor.”

Emma heaved out a heavy sigh. She was still a bit upset but she supposed there was no point but to move forward. Or wait, was she written in such a way so as to want to agree and move on with it-agh! Her mind was going to explode. Best not to think on it and just do it.

“Alright, put me in coach,” she said, pocketing the brooch. He smiled at her and indicated for her to sit down in the chair in front of his desk. He uncapped his pen and began to write in a nice swirling script. She watched him work, a mix of anxiety and excitement swirling in her chest.

“You know,” she spoke up hesitantly. “Maybe give me something normal first. I wanna see how it would be if my life had been the same. But without ya know, all the crazy,” she waved her hands around because she wasn't just ready to part from the canon timeline. She wasn't just ready to leave Killian. Even though it was true that her feelings for him were removed by the author's simple word and decision, her feelings for Regina too even, she did spend most of her life with him and she thought that warranted one more try. Just to see....

“Ah, I see the CaptainSwan plotline still has a strong hold on you,” the author frowned but nevertheless did as asked. “Just remember, if you get bored or dislike your new world, give the brooch a rub.”

She nodded her head, watching him work his magic. Ink came off the page, dancing upwards into the ceiling and opening a gaping hole there of blackness and hungry sucking winds.

“In the suburban town of Storybrooke, Maine, on 108 Mifflin street lived a woman named Regina Mills along with her adopted son who didn't know he was her adopted son, Henry Mills. And a block away from them, lived Emma Jones with her husband Killian Jones and their five year old daughter Hope Swan Jones. Emma and Regina were the best of friends...”

As he wrote, small pieces of Emma began to float up into the air, swirling around her like a small cyclone, all the way up to a bruise colored portal where she could make out the images of Storybrooke with white picket fences and green pastures just before she was sucked up.

_ ** World Two: Non-magical AU** _

_ Once Upon a Suburb _

“Oh Killy my sweet darling,” Emma called out as she carried a lavish breakfast from the kitchen to the dining room. Bright lights filtered into the house and birds chirped happily outside the window. She set it down, wiping her hands onto her flowered apron. Her perfectly coiffed hairstyle did not move an inch as she gracefully walked around with bubbling enthusiasm and cheer. “Breakfast is ready.”

He popped out from behind her, kissing her sweetly on the back of her neck. “Here I am, darling,” he said in his thick accent. He was dressed in a gray suit and tie, clean shaven, and with his hair gelled and swept to the side. “How did you sleep tonight?” he asked, sitting down to begin working on his slice of toast and reading the crisp morning newspaper.

“Just wonderfully, knowing you were in the bed right next to mine,” she said, batting her eyes at him. “Will you have a busy day today?”

“Probably. I'll be in meetings all day long.”

“I packed you a lunch in case you get hungry. And what time will you be back home? I want to know when to make you dinner.”

“At six, as usual.” He looked at his watch. He had to run. He stood up, took a slurp of his morning juice and otherwise had to leave his perfectly good and untouched breakfast behind. He leaned down to peck a good bye kiss to her cheek before rushing off.

She finished the rest of her meal alone before she washed the dishes and went to wake her daughter up. Hope had a playdate today with Henry, Regina's son.

The two of them dressed up cutely, and in matching dresses of yellow before making their way to the mansion down at the end of the block. They walked past houses in bright shades with perfect lawns and white picket fences. Emma waved to everyone on the street, happy to see them greeting her.

While a smile was forever etched upon her features, on the inside, she was beginning to freak out a little bit. What the heck was up with this world? And why couldn't she even curse? Even inside her head? Were her thoughts censored as well? It was like living in one of those sitcoms from the 50s. In fact, this whole place had a feel of that.

Her skin itched and she wanted to rub the brooch but she was kind of curious as to see what the Regina of this world looked like. When they got to the house they didn't even have to knock. Regina opened the door up right away, as if sensing them. Her hair too was done up in pin up curls and she was wearing a floral dress. Emma had to stifle a giggle. Regina of canon would flip if she knew she was wearing this.

“Emma, so nice to see you,” Regina said, doing air kisses. “And little Hope. How lovely you look today.” Hope smiled at the praise. “Do come in. I just made cookies.”

The smell of chocolate cookies filtered in through the air and Emma's stomach growled. At least it seemed like the Regina of this world still had her superb baking abilities. Hope ran up the stairs to meet up with Henry while Regina and Emma stayed in the parlor, helping themselves to the cookies and tea there.

It was kind of odd. All of this. Even though Emma was seeing this with her own eyes, now that she had a moment to reflect, it was crazy. Crazy how she was in an entirely other world. How they were all acting differently and yet still the same in certain ways. She wasn't sure she liked all this. Or that she wanted this as her new start to her second life.

It was all so vanilla. And she was aware she had asked for a more mellow life. But she didn't think this was it. And Regina was with Robin in this story. Married to him, in fact. And he was mayor of the small town. The brunette was making small talk about this and about some school functions she had to make food for and that dreadful Mary Margaret from the church that always tried to out dress her and put more money than her into the charity basket.

Emma shivered. No. She had seen enough of this world. Given it a chance for the plot to unravel. But the only thing that would unravel if she stayed here any longer would be her insanity. Though it was nice to know she was back in her youthful body.

Discreetly, as Regina blabbered on about boring suburban things, Emma rubbed her brooch and the world around her darkened.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

Emma flopped down into the chair so hard it almost fell over backwards. She was back in her normal clothes. Thank goodness for that. She was beginning to feel suffocated in that dress. “Why did you put me in that world?” she complained, slightly breathless from how quickly she had been reassembled.

“You asked me to put you in a world without all the 'crazy',” the author said, looking up from some manuscript he was working on. Emma caught the word's Supergirl on it.

“Yea, not that normal.” She stuck out her tongue like she had a bad taste on it. “It felt terrible being trapped in a world of fake niceties and shit. I couldn't even curse!”

“Well then, shall we move onto a more adventurous one?” He didn't seem put out by her dislike of his work. Only eager to please.

“Yes.”

He took out a new sheet of paper. “Alright, as you wish,” and he began to write. The black hole opened up over Emma's head once more and this time she was sucked up so fast she didn't even get a chance to say anything.

_ ** World Three: Enchanted Forest AU** _

_ Once Upon a Dragon_

“Are you fucking shitting me?” she screamed out as the wind whipped past her, making tears form in her eyes and her hair stream behind her. Giant leathery wings beat around her loudly like drum beats as she clung on with all she had to the leathery scales of the beast she was riding.

The dragon gave a tremendous air splitting roar and dove downwards, where a battle was in progress. Warriors with massive swords, axes, and shields, with some riding on horses, were all slaughtering each other indiscriminately. Emma let out a scream and made a silly looking face as they zoomed down, her stomach rising up. The dragon opened it's mouth and sprayed fire at the armies fighting below.

The smell of acrid fire and burning flesh wafted up to Emma's nose and she pressed her body close as the dragon did a barrel roll so to avoid a catapult's rocks being thrown at it.

“I'm getting the fuck out of here,” she mumbled out, stiff fingers digging into her armor and pulling the brooch out. The dragon suddenly jerked to the left and she went tumbling off as her hold had been weakened. She rolled off of the dragon, hands scrambling to latch onto something but failing to do so, nails ripping and breaking on the scales leaving bloody marks.

“Shit!” she shouted out as she found herself air born. Frantically she rubbed at the brooch and squeezed her eyes shut, fearing for the worst.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

She landed hard face first on a carpeted floor and her eyes stayed closed until at last she felt herself still being alive. When she touched the floor and saw she was safe, she jumped up to her feet, pointing at an accusing finger at the author who did not look distraught by the fury on her face.

“Were you trying to kill me?”

“No. You can't die in these stories. And don't look at me like that. You said you wanted adventure.”

“Not that kind of adventure!” She breathed out shakily and sat down on the chair, her heart still thudding in her chest. The brooch was clutched in her hand so hard it was stabbing into her. She unclenched her fingers, allowing blood to circulate again.

“Alright, so something less Game of Thrones,” he mussed, looking through the list of AU's he had. He rubbed his chin. “Okay, I think I might have something right up your alley. And no savior prophecy,” he promised.

“No more flying. And no dragons!”

He gave her a look. “You didn't even try out the rest of the story. I had such an amazing plot planned out for you. You were a good warrior fighting to bring down the Evil Queen-”

“Don't wanna hear it,” she cut him off. “Get on with the other story.”

“Fine,” he sighed reluctantly. He put his pen to paper and this time Emma nervously ascended into the black hole above her, one with cars and a busy street in a city.

_ ** World Four: Spy AU** _

_ Once Upon a Mission Impossible _

The ritzy museum lobby was filled with people; jazzy music playing softly in the background as the chatter of visitors and the clinking of champagne glasses overlaid it. People of all ages were here but with about the same amount of money: a shit ton. Emma's job was to mingle among them, her disguise that of a woman in a black evening gown dress and plunging neckline and blonde hair curled down her shoulders. She was the picture of a ditsy blonde with too much money to blow and she kept a vacant look on her face even as she was actually sharply assessing the situation around her.

Everyone was gathered here in order to see Regina Mills' new addition to the gem collection. It would be a blood diamond, worth millions of dollars. And Emma was here to stop the international jewel thief Robin Hood, from capturing it.

“Any sight of him?” the ear piece in Emma's ear rang and she slightly shook her head, making sure no one could hear her as she talked. “No. But I have a feeling he's hiding, waiting for the right moment to strike.”

Security was standing guard on the floor but Emma had also requested the team to do sweeps of the vents and water systems. The jewel thief wasn't afraid to get dirty if he needed to. But as the evening wore on, nothing. Not a single sighting of anyone coming in that shouldn't be here. Maybe he had forfeiting this diamond? Maybe he wouldn't try to steal it?

But Emma knew that was a foolish thought. There was no way Robin would give this up. He liked to steal from the rich to give to the poor and with this diamond, he could could give so much once he sold it.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Regina cleared her throat as she strode up to the stage where the diamond was in a case, hidden behind a velvet curtain. The crowd quieted down. It was time for the reveal.

Regina was dressed in a long black evening dress that sparkled and shimmered under the spotlights. A wide grin split her lips. Regina was known for curating and funding a lot of public buildings and events in this town due to all her money from her marriage to Gold.

And ew, Emma would need to have a word with the author. Why the hell was the queen married to an imp? Emma hated this relationship even more than she hated Robin and Regina being together.

“This diamond was hard to come by, but at last I am happy to report it belongs to the city of Storybooke. And today, you all shall be first to see it's reveal.”

Something was off. As the audience clapped, Emma gave a quick look around. Everyone was facing the stage except for one man, making way towards the back. His hair was white, but Emma would hazard a guess it wasn't his real hair color.

“Agents, block exits, one, two, and five,” she pressed a finger to her inner ear and said into her ear piece. “Don't let a man with white hair get through.”

Behind her the curtain went up and the audience gasped but not how it was supposed to.

“It's-it's missing!” Regina shrilled out. “Where is the diamond?”

Emma's steps hurried up as she pushed past the crowd.

The white head disappeared before she caught sight of it once more. The whole reason they hadn't spotted Robin coming in was because he was already inside the event, probably disguised as a rich man! Sneaky bastard.

He thought he would get a clean get away but he was about to learn a hard lesson today. He went up to one exit but found her agents there and so he dipped. The only exit he would have free in close proximity would be the stairs, so that's where Emma went to, finding him sneaking open the door. He caught her from the corner of his eyes and he sped up. She rushed after him, tossing her heels off in her rush. He was already running down the stairs, but no worries. He was open to an attack from above.

She lept over the railing, through the space in the middle of the staircases banisters, catching him as he reached the last flight. Her knees careened into his back with a loud snap, and he let out a pained grunt as he collapsed hard onto the floor.

The diamond rolled out from his suit jacket and before he could get up, Emma had him cuffed. She pulled him up, his chin were it had split, leaving blood on the floor.

“Thought you could get away, did you?” she hissed at him as he glared at her angrily. She called for back up and within minutes more of her men came streaming down the stairs. She let them handle Robin while she picked up the diamond. She looked it over. Luckily, it wasn't chipped or anything and she pocketed it.

Upstairs she found that the cops had been called and were milling around, looking for suspects. Regina looked worried, stress etched clearly on her face. She wouldn't need to worry any longer. With all the attention on other things rather than the glass case, Emma quickly walked up, her gloved hands preventing her from leaving prints on the diamond as she dropped in through the hole Robin had made discreetly in the glass.

And then she walked off, keeping mindful of the angle of the cameras so they wouldn't spot her. It wouldn't be good if they saw her replacing the diamond because Regina couldn't know the special forces were involved in this.

Emma met up with her crew outside, the van with a captive Robin already driving off. She wondered how long the prison would hold him this time before he once more escaped.

“Good job everyone,” she said as they looked towards her. She was taking the pins out of her hair so she could loosen the curls. She let them bounce free, the stress melting away with them as her scalp relaxed.

“It was all you boss,” Neal smiled, taking out the cigarette from his mouth. “You spotted him and cuffed him.”

Well, he wasn't wrong there. “I'm going home. Let me know if anything else pops up.” She went inside her personal car and as she put the key in, she noticed there was a card taped to her steering wheel. Before opening it she suspiciously eyed the crowd of rich folk and police, wondering if anyone from around here had done this. But if they had, they were long gone.

She opened the note and her heart stopped. She threw it on her seat and threw the car into drive, tearing asphalt as she drove.

They had Killian and Hope.

She pulled up to a warehouse with a squeal before getting out, holding the service pistol in her hand. She was nervous. And mad. How dare they hurt her family? She was going to get them for this. She was going to make sure they hurt.

But when she got there, her bravado shriveled up and died. Big beefy guys with automatic weapons were standing in front of her. Killian and Hope were tied to chairs, gagged and with tears streaming down their faces.

No way.

She did not sign up for this when she wanted a new world. She was not about to be a spy that started shooting at others. And she didn't want any harm to come to her family. She turned heel and ran, rubbing on her brooch as she did.

“Hey, where are you going?” a guy called behind her in his thick Russian accent. But she was already gone.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

“Will they be okay?” Emma gasped as she rushed to her feet from where she had face planted into the carpet once more.

The author was surprised by her vehemence. “Well, of course,” he blinked slowly. “I wasn't going to let any real harm come to them.”

“Good,” Emma stressed. “Because no way in hell do I want to have to live through something like that happening to my family.” While she had dealt with similar situations in her old life, the fact that it had all been forced by some author's hand and she didn't need to rise to the occasion anymore because it could be changed, made her not want to deal with that kind of shit anymore.

“I'm guessing you didn't like that world either,” he said wryly, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Shall I get started on another one? I take it you want even less action.”

Emma nodded her head and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. “Yes,” she nodded her head, still a bit breathless from adrenaline. “And no family being involved or anything like that. This time I want to go in solo.” It wasn't that Emma didn't care for her daughter Hope. It was just that she was curious to see how life would be if she didn't have her or Killian as a family unit by her side. Maybe it would allow her to finally put aside the notion of clinging onto them with all she had ( a bad holdover from her childhood days where as a foster kid, they latched onto whatever was the tiniest bit good in hopes of bettering their lives, and Emma was stubborn when it came to letting go of things she had claimed.)

“And maybe...” she rubbed her chin, thinking about her foster days, “could you remove my unpleasant background?”

He arched a brow, an ink plot dripping onto the waiting page. “You want to be like Princess Emma again from Wishverse?”

Emma shivered at that. Gross. She didn't want to be a vapid minded princess. “No, not like her. Like me, but less with a rough childhood.”

He tipped his head to the side as he thought about this. “Hmm, I don't know it that's possible. You see, your past is what makes a majority of your character. Remove it and you're just....bland.”

Emma shook her head, insistent and stubborn. “I'm sure you can come up with something. If I get a second chance to re-write my life, than I want one where I didn't have to suffer as a child.”

“Alright then,” he sighed out, settling the tip to his page. “But don't complain if you don't like the new you.” And then he began to write, Emma getting sucked up into the black hole where this time she saw a high school there.

_ ** World Five: High School AU** _

_ Once Upon a High School _

The alarm clock blared loudly, drawing Emma out of her dream where she was dreaming about the hunky quarterback on her team. His name was Neal and all the girls loved him for his dreamy blue eyes and his skill on the field.

Emma was just one of his adoring masses and she yawned as she sat up and slammed the clock off, closing her eyes to savor the last bits and pieces of her dream. Ah, if only she could get him to notice her. But she was just another face as school. Just one teenager blending in with a mass of other teenagers.

She got up, dressed herself, and had a breakfast downstairs. Mary had left her something before she went to work and David had made her lunch for the day. A note from both of her loving parents read 'Have a good day at school.'

Emma pocketed it, feeling a fond smile grow on her face. So this was what a normal childhood could look like. Smiling, she finished off her breakfast and got on the yellow bus taking her to school.

She got to school right before the bell for first period rang. She could spot the gaggle of girls around Neal, laughing at what he had to say before they followed him to class. Emma sighed wistfully as she slammed her locker shut, wishing she could gather the courage to speak to him one day.

But as she thought this, she shook herself out of her teenage stupor. She looked at the ceiling, frowning. “Author, I thought I get to choose my crushes?” she complained, uncertain if he could hear her. She had had a bad time with Neal and while a small part of her would always care for him, she didn't care for the way he had left her in the lurch.

As if answering her, a piece of balled up paper pelted the back of Emma's head. She uncrumpled it.

_I thought perhaps you and him could have another chance? Pretend like the bad didn't happen?_

Emma shook her head. No. As long as she remembered all that, she wouldn't want to be with him. And no, she wasn't interested in forgetting either. She just felt like it was better to remember this. She didn't know why, since she had begged the author to remove her bad past, why not this too? But maybe....maybe she didn't want her bad past removed at all?

“God, I'm so undecided,” she groaned out to herself, thunking her head on her closed locker.

“About what?” a voice startled her and she jolted, turning to see two fresh faces. One belonged to Ruby, her hair cut short and streaked with red and blue dye that looked like it would wash out soon.

And next to her was Belle, pushing up her thick frames. While Ruby had the classic punk look going on- dyed hair, too many ear piercings, and a ripped leather jacket over a graphic tee along with ripped denim jeans, Belle was the classic nerd. Plain sweater and slacks, holding a bundle of books, and braces on her teeth that slurred her speech.

“Uh, nothing,” Emma stammered unconvincingly.

“Is this about the spring dance?” Belle asked.

Emma knew all about the dance, despite not having even known it existed about two seconds ago. “Oh, no.” She flushed. “I don't think I'll be asking Neal out. He's got loads of admirers and he doesn't even know who I am.”

“Then why not do something extraordinary to get him to notice you?” Ruby suggested.

Emma shook her head. “Ruby no. I don't want anything to do with your crazy plans,” she said as she turned to walk to their shared Literature class or else they would be late. “The last time I followed it it got me detention for a week. My parents were not happy with that.”

“Fine then. Don't do it. But then you'll never be with him,” she shrugged. And Emma shook her head. The author must have listened to her request because she no longer felt sappy for him. She had freedom now to chose.

“Actually, I don't like him anymore,” she stated casually.

Both Ruby's and Belle's jaws dropped open. “You don't?”

“No,” she confirmed to Belle's question. “It was just a silly little crush and I'm over it. Something tells me he wouldn't be a good boyfriend anyways.”

This was big news to Emma's best friends. “But..but you've been waxing poetic about him for months now!”

“And who are you going to take to the dance?” Ruby said.

“Girls, relax,” she huffed, rolling her eyes. She had forgotten how melodramatic high school could be, though she couldn't recall any of it prior to this because the author had taken her memories away. She just knew. “The world's not ending.” And then she went to class.

And that was sort of how Emma's life in high school went. Everyday it was kind of the same. Have a loving breakfast prepared by the 'rents. Go to school. Learn. Hang out with Ruby and Belle. Go home, go work, and spend time with her parents, playing either board games or watching movies together that were super cheesy. And she...liked it?

It was nice to have a calm regular life, but she wasn't sure she was all for it. Honestly, it was kind of bland and repetitive. And she felt older than her teenaged body in mind. While she couldn't remember her past, she knew it hadn't been like this and she felt robbed of her memories. Of an essential part of her. Maybe it had been wrong to cut something so crucial of her out? It felt like a part of her was missing because she had had it for so long.

At night before she went to bed, she looked at the brooch, wondering if she should rub it. What if she asked for her memories back from the author and they were horrid. She didn't know what he had taken from her. And yet she was super curious about it all.

But she didn't rub the brooch. Not yet. There was one major event in her bland life and it the spring dance. She wanted to go and have fun at a normal dance like teenaged girls did. The only thing, she didn't have a date.

And she no longer wanted Neal. But heck, if she was going to leave this world after this dance, why not do it with some flare.

She approached Ruby and Belle, a smile on her lips. “Girls, I've got an idea for the upcoming dance. And you're either going to love it or hate it.”

Ruby gave an excited whoop and grin, and Belle looked around a bit nervously. But they both agreed to Emma's plans. When the night of the dance came, they all showed up dressed up in nice dresses that had more mobility in them, just because they knew they would need to run after this from the teachers.

They entered the giant dance hall, which was tackily decorated with hearts and stars. Taylor Swift was playing in the background. “Alright,” Emma rubbed her hands together. “Let's make this a dance to remember. Ruby, you spike the punch and then Belle and I will get the cages.”

And if that night several dozens of drunk teens ran screaming and tripping from the dance hall because of rats chasing them, then it was worth the trouble they were surely to get into later as Gold stormed up to them, his cane tapping angrily on the ground. “Miss Lucas, Miss French, and Miss Swan. Detention!”

He didn't even bother to collect proof it was them, he just knew it was.

Laughing and high fiving each other, they left the hall. Now, this was how a teen world should be. Pranks and mischief and not swooning over boys she had no interest in. Saying goodnight to her friends, Emma rubbed her brooch and was gone.

This had been a nice interlude to her life. But...

It was time to go back to her old self.

_ ** Author's Quarters** _

When Emma materialized in the author's quarters once more, it was with chagrin.

“I can see what you mean,” Emma sighed out, touching herself: her chest, her arms, her cheeks, to make sure it was her. The _original_ her. It was. She could feel her adult features on her face and she remembered being in foster care. Without her past there, she was just another....person. A typical teen with a boringly average high school life trying to please adults. Boring with a capital B.

“So, I'm assuming you want your past intact?”

No matter how bad it had been, she had gotten attached to it. Because it was _her_ past. It literally defined her present and future. And honestly, it was hard to completely let go of it for reasons she couldn't quite understand.

“Yea. Give me all of it back,” she said. “I want to be a badass once more,” she gave a crooked grin.

“A badass, eh? With a lot of bad past?” he said, giving her a look over his glasses.

In hindsight she should have picked her words more carefully. But the whirl of the portal above her sucked her up before she could say anything more.

_ ** World Six: Noir Detective AU** _

_ Once Upon a Crime_

It was a cold March morning, and I was in my private office, enjoying the last cup of Joe I would for quite some time. Because not only did that morning bring with it chilly weather and rain, it also brought in a dame with flaming red hair. Or it would be, if I could see color.

But this blasted world was in black and white and gray and I don't mean morally, but visually.

Though one could argue I myself was a gray moral person. Killing and hurting others for the sake of a buck and some peace of mind for the folks that came begging me for help. But it was all I knew. The only way I had been raised in this cruel, cold, world.

Her name was Zelena Greene as she introduced herself to me, clutching the pearls around her neck dramatically as she sank into my sofa. “Detective Swan, I really must insist you help me!” she declared. A saxophone and some jazzy chords accentuated the situation and I irritably tried to ignore them.

But some things could not be ignored. Like my past. Where I had fled a war torn country, losing all my family and friends and come to this new world to take down the mafia boss whose drugs and gangs had fueled the war in my country. Each night I fell asleep with a bottle of Jack and tears in my eyes.

Even now thinking about how my sweet heart had died brought anguish to my face and I started uncontrollably sobbing in front of my client who looked aghast at what I was doing.

“Detective?” she voiced hesitantly. She reached out a hand to touch me but I moved away rapidly and she let it drop down, affronted. “What is going on?”

I turned to the windows where a sudden torrential rain was pouring. Pain stabbed in my heart, taking my breath away. “It was a cold winter's night when it all happened,” I said as I recalled vivid flash backs. “I was but twelve and six months old. All I had on my back was a knapsack with half a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and sweater. My goal was to get to the evacuee ships so I could escape everything that had been taken from me.” I clenched my fist, holding back the pain and anger; it could not be quenched. I continued my melodramatic monologue and by the time I finished, I turned around to see an empty room. Zelena had left. A single slip of paper was all the reminder she had been here, and as I read it with blurry eyes, it only deepened my pain.

_Sorry, gumshoe, but I don't want a detective who spends hours crying in front of the window. I'm going to Robin Hood to finish my business. _

“Damn it,” I hissed up at the author who I imagined was looking down at me. “Take this all back. You've made my past too checkered!” crumpling the note up as I dramatically fell to my aching knees, I took out the brooch he gave me and rubbed it three times.

The world around me spun and simmered and then I was back.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

“Alright, that was a little too much,” she said when she found herself in the chair once more. “I think I'll stick with what I already had.”

“This is turning out harder than I thought it would be,” the author sighed out, disappointed at her disappointment. “Have none of the worlds made you happy?”

Emma shook her head no. “They just....I don't know. I was so used to the world I already had that it's kind of hard to let it go. But maybe this time, I could just have my life in Boston back.”

“You mean the bounty hunting life style?”

Emma shook her head again. “No, not that.” She thought hard. “Just, give me a normal job.”

“That could be anything. You need to be more specific.”

When Emma couldn't come up with anything, he sighed out, taking off his glasses and rubbing his tired eyes. “How about this. I'll send you into college and let you major in whatever you want. That way, you get to graduate with whatever degree you want and pick a job that way.”

“That sounds like a lot of choice...”

“It _is_. Remember, I'm not trying to write your story this time. I want your decisions to be yours.”

“I guess that's fine,” she relaxed into the chair, letting her head loll backwards. She hadn't exactly gotten a chance to finish college or even start it matter of fact. Would she be able to do it now?

There was no time for self doubting. She could always pull out if she wasn't happy. Or she could shoulder on, rise to the occasion. As the author hunkered down to start her story, a question blurted out of her mouth.

“What's your story?” Emma asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I don't know anything about you authors. You're people too. You must have something interesting to say about your own self. What kinds of dreams and hopes you had.”

This paused him. “No one's bothered to ask me about my life before,” he said softly, touched. “It's nice.”

“So, what's your favorite place in the world?”

“In a book, obviously.” He smiled at her. “Oh dear, I don't think we're going to be deviating much from my author job and books. They're very much a part of me.”

“How did you even become an author.”

He stilled his pen, sucking the end into his mouth. He gazed off into the distance of his inked words, wondering. “It's.....simply how it was meant to be. We author's have the power to bend reality. To create, destroy, or leave it as it was. We can bring people to life, to greater heights. Or to their lowest lows. We know all about our own creations. Every single thought in your head was put there by our words. If you are prone to anger, it's because we willed it so. If you think too much or too little, it is because we wanted it that way. Even the simple act of whether you sneeze all too often is because of the way we set you to interact with our world.”

“That's....unsettling,” Emma commented on delicately.

“Perhaps it can be. To us our characters and the worlds they inhabit are very much real. That is why we put so much care into creating them. And it can be quite shameful when a character falls out of character so to speak. But, now you don't have to worry about me doing anything you don't want me to. You're a free woman, Emma.”

He did say that, and yet, she oddly didn't feel free at all.

...

And so it went like this, Emma going from world to world to world. She was a womanizing pirate in one, a depressed ninja in another, a crazed chief in a third. She inhabited so many people and so many story lines she couldn't keep track. The new worlds peeled back like layer after layer, like pages being flipped through in a glossy catalog. And in each world, she tried to find her true love, tried to find a place to fit in, thinking maybe the arrangement and situation of it would make things easier.

The one person she didn't make moves on was Regina. She didn't know why....she just was afraid to try anything with her. Instead, she found herself from time to time actually striving to have Regina find her true love's happiness too. Because Regina had always gotten the short end of the stick in their world and why not use this opportunity to have Regina be happy as well? Along with providing Henry and Hope with happy endings as well whenever they were in the new worlds. It seemed her savior complex still existed and she couldn't help from wanting to aid the people she cared for.

This worked to varying degrees of success for Regina and Emma always found herself bittersweet when Regina did get married or start a family. But Emma just wanted Regina to be happy like she was too, even if Regina wasn't aware that the worlds they were in, weren't the one they had first come from. None of them knew except for Emma and it felt odd for it to be like this.

It felt...wrong? Like she was manipulating them all. She knew she wouldn't enjoy this either, if she was jerked from realm to realm.

“Is it because you care for her the most?” the author asked one day, looking at her like he could see her very soul. Which he could if he wanted, because he had made her.

Emma shrugged. She wasn't good at expressing her emotions, much less getting to understand them.

“Please Emma,” he leaned in, and she had never heard him so close to pleading before. “Just try once with her. What's the worst that could happen?”

Emma shrugged, letting her nails dig into the fabric of the chair.

The author chuckled. “You want it to be perfect. Well, it can be, Emma. Just say the word.”

But Emma still wasn't ready. “I might not deserve her,” she said, because when it came to the mayor, she always felt a bit in awe of her. In awe of her ability, temerity, and even her ability to change for others. To sacrifice for them.

“But Emma, so have you done all the same. If I don't say so my self, nothing would have been more powerful and more right than the love story of an evil queen being saved by the savior. By the daughter of the very people she had sworn to destroy.”

“Then why didn't it end up that way?”

“Because I was a coward,” he gave a wry smile. “But you don't have to be.”

His words left her feeling cold and warm at the same time.

“Uh, how about we just do a chill world for now, so I can get my head on my shoulders properly. You know, the college one we talked about but I actually didn't go to?”

“Very well,” he said not pressuring her because he knew very well what she was thinking and feeling.

The portal whirled hungrily over head and she disappeared into a world of classes, clubbing, and studying for finals.

_ ** World Ninety Five: College AU** _

_ Once Upon a Degree_

The club's music was pounding loudly and it was hard to even hear oneself think. Not that it stopped Ruby who was shouting something at Emma's face.

Emma merely nodded her head, hoping it would get Ruby to stop this and go dance. Emma didn't feel much like dancing. Even though she was a young adult again, she had never been the heavy party type and she'd only allowed Ruby to drag her out here tonight because midterms had finally been finished and Ruby insisted they needed something to loosen up their stress.

Emma had agreed mainly because she was tired of locking herself up in the library and wanted a change of scenario. But she was now regretting this. She just wanted to crawl into bed and watch shows until the sun rose.

Eventually Ruby left and swaggered over to the bar to get a drink, another one when she shouldn't but Emma wasn't worried about anything bad happening because after all, she knew it was a story and the author had been requested to make it smooth sailing.

This world had been the longest world Emma had stayed in so far. She'd been here for months now and she liked it. She had never had the chance to get a proper education and she loved it. Loved learning new things, loved being carefree. But it wasn't always easy. There was a lot of studying to do and she had to find a way to balance that and sleep properly.

And speaking of sleeping, she'd spent some time sleeping around. Most of Storybrooke was here as young adults in various majors.

Mary and David were Emma's loving parents from Boston who came to visit her on the campus from time to time and Henry didn't exist yet, as neither did Hope. Which was fine. Emma figured she'd have them later in her life when she was ready. One thing at a time.

She'd slept with some random people she'd never met before, just to see if they could be her new loves but she hadn't felt anything for them other than slightly frustrated by how they couldn't last long during sex.

And then she'd slept a couple of times with Neal, just because she figure she needed to give everyone a chance, bad past or not. She'd done this with lots of protection, because she didn't want to tempt fate; who knows maybe there would be a repeat and she didn't want that. But, she hadn't felt anything for him. The possibilities were truly well and dead there so she dropped his ass after three dates and moved onto Killian who she tried to see if she could get along with.

But he was a bit of a fuck boy in college and she didn't want to deal with all that so she gave up on him too. And then she had even considered Robin. But she hadn't even made it to a first date with him. He was so boring. But what did she expect from an American histories major?

So that left experimenting with women. Emma had never done that in her old life and she wondered if that had anything to do with the author's controls over her choices. But now, she was free to do that. To try it out. Maybe she would like it? Who knows.

But Ruby was off the list. Emma would only ever see her as a friend. And besides, they'd slept together after a drunken night out once already and they had both decided not to pursue that again. Not that the sex had been bad. It had been amazing and Emma had enjoyed it even more than she had with any of the men she'd slept with before- a shocker, really as she hadn't expected that- but they just didn't want to complicate things.

But that had included Ruby setting Emma up with any hot girls she could find for Emma to explore her sexuality. And Emma did. After all, what did she have left to lose? Mulan, Aurora, Sabine, Jacinda....it turned out that whoever Emma wanted to sleep with, she could. Almost like she had main character seduction powers. That any boy or girl would fall for her.

She didn't really like that. It didn't seem fair. Like she was just using them for bad means. So she sent a note up to the author and he seemed to get her message loud and clear because Emma had been having a dry spell for about two weeks now, a huge difference from before when she'd been getting some almost every two days.

But all the people she tried to have a relationship with, none of them made her feel anything.

“Emma!” Ruby squealed as she steered over a friend. It was Regina and Emma hadn't expected to see the woman. They'd passed each other while heading to class but they weren't friends in this story and Emma had never had a chance to befriend her. “Meet Regina! She's in one of my classes and she needs someone to talk to while I talk to her roommate,” Ruby winked and it was clear that the talking wouldn't actually entail talking.

But Emma didn't mind. Now she had a chance to engage with Regina. Ruby left and Regina sat at the tiny booth in front of Emma. It was so tight here their legs bumped under the table. “Hello. So, third wheeling?”

“I suppose so,” Emma shouted over the music as she raised her a glass. “Toast to that,” she said and they clinked their glasses.

They drank heartily and Emma felt nervous. What the hell did they talk about? Back in Storybrooke they had always had something to talk about, like saving the town, or on raising Henry, or on how annoying Mary could be.

But here....none of that existed.

Emma actually had to try to be her friend.

“What's your major?” she asked.

Regina shook her head. “I can't really hear you. Wanna go outside to talk?”

“Sure,” Emma nodded her head and Emma texted Ruby to let her know her and Regina would be outside for a bit.

When they got outside, it was quieter here and their ear drums popped with adjusting to the lower volume. They leaned against the bricks and enjoyed the cool breeze brushing against their sweaty backs. “What did you ask me inside?”

“I asked what major you are.”

“Political science.”

Figures, given how Regina had been a mayor.

“And you?”

“Business.” Emma had too many possibilities to have a brighter future now and she didn't know what to do, so she chose the most popular major and gone with it. She was doing okay in it and she hoped she would have a job after she graduated. The temptation to ask the author to just make her a millionaire was too much. Maybe she'd have a go at it when she finished this world.

They spent the rest of the night talking to each other, Emma trying hard to keep the conversation upbeat and flowing, before it's time to go. Regina is the only woman Emma still hasn't slept with but thinking about doing it with the woman who had been her closest friend in Storybrooke makes her feel warm for reasons she can't understand.

And she almost feels scared to do it. To make a move. Like to do so would ruin what they have. But it's crazy because even if it does, Emma can just retry all over again.

So she sucks in her breath and tries to make her move. What does she have to lose?

She asks Ruby for Regina's number and sends her political memes. Memes are the surefire way to anyone's heart, right?

Eventually their conversations evolve and they meet up on a few occasions for coffee and Emma's this close to asking Regina out on a date (because she's the type to woo and then fuck) when Robin comes in on them having some lunch at the campus cafe.

“There you are darling,” he smiles at Regina and leans down to kiss her. She lifts her head up so their lips can meet and Emma feels her mouth dry out as her heart wilts in her chest. Oh.

Regina's dating Robin in this? Had the author made it happen? And why?

Emma doesn't even hear the rest of the conversation between them as the blood rushes through her veins and she rushes out.

“Emma, what's wrong?” Regina calls out after her but she's tearing out a piece of paper from her notebook and scribbling a strongly worded letter to the author. When finished, she lets it float up into the air. Nothing happens for a while. The sky is deceptively blue and happy like Emma hadn't just had her hopes crushed.

A note slowly drops down and she opens it, the author's curled writing staring back up at her.

_It wasn't me. _ Is the simple message. She frowns.

Fine. Maybe Regina hadn't been the one for her then. Maybe this was a message from even higher powers than the author.

Emma then focuses on completing the next three years of her schooling and she ends up dating Jefferson just because she can. He's kinda quirky and its a nice change from having to see Robin's and Regina's boringly normal relationship.

When graduation arrives Emma eagerly snatches up her diploma and crosses that stage, raring to get on with her adult life. She's thinking of breaking up with Jefferson after this. He's not the one she can see herself building a future with and is still inexorably sour she didn't have even a glimmer of a chance with Regina. Even now the thought of being able to kiss her or hold her hand gives Emma's stomach butterflies.

But if she thinks she's moving into a city with a job lined up for her, she's wrong. The world disintegrates around her, into tiny squares and she along with it, as she's sucked up into the sky where a blue portal is waiting for her. She doesn't even have time to scream before breathlessly she is reformed on a familiar chair.

She takes a moment to regain her breath and glance over her body to make sure she's okay before she glares at the author. “What the hell happened?” she asks accusingly.

He spreads his hands out. He's changed since the last time Emma has seen seen him, showing that she in fact had been in another world for four whole years. He's got a beard and he's wearing a different pair of round glasses.

“You finished the world. Finished the story. I wasn't expecting you to get that far and I'm out of material to write.”

That could even happen? Huh how weird. “So now what?”

“I can send you into a new world and you can try again once more. I know you and Regina didn't end up together even though you tried.”

“Yea, about that,” she asked, shifting uncomfortably at the mention of this, “what the hell was up with Robin sneaking in out of the blue and dating her?”

The author shrugged. “I don't know. Each time I would write to break him and her up, they'd get back together somehow. I figured it might just be a glitch or something.”

“Can stories even get glitched?”

“You'd be surprised,” he answered, stroking his beard. “But, more importantly, tell me what story you'd like next. I can even leave Robin out this time.”

She shook her head. No, it would be wrong to leave him out. He had died in canon and it felt wrong to not give him a chance to live even if he was annoying. Emma tapped a finger to her chin. In terms of romance, however, Emma has exhausted all other options, which means there is only one person left for her. Emma had a feeling it would be _her_. After all, in the canon world there had always been something between them. But Emma had been scared to act on it. And why? She knew why now.

Because she cared too much. She didn't want to ruin anything and it had scared her. But by taking too long, she had lost Regina to Robin. She wouldn't let it happen again even though she had given up so easily in the college world too.

“I know you want to make Regina happy. I know you care about her happy ending,” the author prodded gently. “But have you thought that maybe _you're _her happy ending?”

That hit something deep inside her. Something she had never thought of before. Determination filled her bones.

“Make me rich.”

He laughs a little at her order. “Ah, you want one of those 'millionaires falls in love with a middle class person', stories don't you.”

“No, I just want to be rich. To know how it feels. And you know, maybe impress Regina with it too,” Emma explained.

He smiled at her. “You shall have it.”

Emma braced herself as she was sucked back up into another world.

_ ** World Ninety Six: CEO AU** _

_ Once Upon a Million_

Emma stepped out of her sleek yellow Jaguar, clad in a tight Armani suit. The blazer and pants were both navy and her shirt was white, unbuttoned at the top to reveal a bit of her collarbone. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and she had small studs in her ears to match the pale pink lipstick on her lips.

The door slides closed behind her as she threw her keys to a valet who hastened to catch them and almost dropped them as she strode on by up into the museum lobby where a grand party was being held. Paparazzi took photos of her as she walked on the red carpet in her expensive stilettos and they shouted her name but she ignored them save for smiling for a few candid pictures.

When she got inside it was much quieter and classical music was coming from the orchestra. This event was being thrown in honor of the charity she had opened to help orphans world wide and everything had been meticulously prepared for her. She snatched up a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and sipped it, humming at it's frothy taste.

She perused the crowd, trying to see who she knew and who she didn't. So far she couldn't recognize any familiar faces.

“Miss Swan!” a voice called out and Emma turned to see Regina coming up closer to her, pad and pen in her hand. She was dressed up in an evening gown and she had a pass around her neck that read reporter's pass.

Ah, so Regina was a reporter in this story. “Do you have a moment?”

“For a pretty woman like you, yes,” Emma answered. She could swear she saw a tint of red in Regina's cheeks but the woman evenly said her thanks. “You are as bit a flatterer as they say you are, Miss Swan. But I was hoping to speak to you on this event.”

“I'm afraid I don't have much time today. I've got to prepare for my speech. But,” at this she held out her personal business card from where she had slid it out of her inner jacket pocket, “I wouldn't mind so much later.” She gave a wink.

And then smiling, she walked on by a Regina who clearly was flushed now.

Emma was patting herself on the back. Oh yeah. That had been smooth.

…

Regina came to interview Emma. They flirted, talked. Laughed. Even went out to dinner later.

Regina was shrewd with her questions, cutting with her statements, and Emma didn't mind. She felt confident with more money. She was a damned CEO now after all. And she could do what she wanted. Well, to an extent.

She sent Regina expensive gifts. They went on expensive dates. And Emma was chivalrous. Knightly. And yet, she was still cowardly. As much as she enjoyed this new world. As much as she wanted to kiss Regina, she couldn't quite yet.

What the hell was wrong with her that she felt like there was a blockade on this? Like something was holding her back physically from doing it? Was the author holding her back from this? But no, he had said she was free to do whatever she wanted.

But then why couldn't she grab Regina's hand and twine her fingers into it? It was right there, almost brushing against her hand as they walked side by side, the CEO and callous reporter, friends. Friends despite how much flirting they had done. And Emma could see it in Regina's eyes. See that the brunette wanted to be kissed. She even kept hinting at it. But how could Emma explain that she had meant to lean back into her and kiss her on that yacht ride and something had stopped her despite her intentions?

This was all so frustrating.

Regina had seemed hurt by Emma's inability to make a move on her and Emma had returned and sulked back in her penthouse apartment that over looked the city. As she gazed sadly at the city skyline, a glass of expensive whiskey that she couldn't taste for her sadness, she missed a tear of inky black in the sky off to her left.

It was a moving, teeming mass that only seemed to pulsate nastily. And more black ooze began to inch out of the pavements, drip from her car engine and even fill her tub. All of it invisible to her as it spread.

Things only got worse when suddenly a new millionaire arrived in town. Correction, billionaire. A man by the name of Robin Hood. And okay, Emma really wasn't trying to hate the guy but what the hell was his problem? He swept into town, instantly buying the love of everyone by throwing a lavish week full of festivals and free events for everyone, but he also got Regina to report on him because he was the hottest thing in town and that was her thing. Her whole job revolved around getting the best scoop so Emma couldn't fault her for having to drop everything and go after him.

But, Emma wouldn't have minded so much, if her whole world suddenly wasn't collapsing around her. Her stocks plummeted, her name lost value, and Robin basically had to buy her out. She got kicked out of her apartment and when she even tried to talk to Regina, suddenly it turned out she was married to Robin. This all happened in the manner of a week.

One, damned, awful week.

Emma ground her teeth. Something wasn't making sense here and the author had some explaining to do.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

“What the hell?” is the first thing that comes out of her mouth. The author looks apologetic.

“I'm sorry. I really don't know what's going on,” he says, running a hand through his hair. It's a bit messy and he has bags under his eyes like he hasn't slept for a while.

“Robin showed up and completely stole my thunder. I'm living in an apartment the size of a tinder box right now. A tinder box!” she raised her hands to accentuate this point.

“I know,” he sighed out, looking over the pages on which the story has been written. They're wrinkled and one or two of them have a suspicious food stain. “Something's going on. I think someone has been tempering with my work. But I'm not sure.”

Emma blinks at this, her anger no longer directed at him. “What do you mean, tempering with your work?”

“It could be another author,” he surmised, deep in thought. “Look,” he settled on when the silence between them stretched, Emma itchy with inaction and he deep in thought. “I'll send you to another world. But I need you to keep an eye on things there, while I figure some things out here.”

“Are you going to trap the guy?” Emma asked. “Because I am good at that. Former bountyhunter here.” She puffed her chest out proudly.

“Yes,” he nodded his head. “But I won't be able to do that until I know who I'm dealing with.” He took out some fresh pages, a resolute look on his face. Cracked his knuckles. “Bare with me. The next couple of minutes might be a whirlwind ride.”

Emma steeled herself as the well-known sensation of being sucked into a portal surrounded her.

_**World Ninety Seven: **_ _**Coffee Shop AU**_

_ Once Upon a Cappuccino_

“What order will you be having?” Emma, the Starbucks Barista, asked as Regina strode up to her.

“A white mocha venti frap with soy milk,” she rattled off, reaching into her wallet to pull out her card when a rough hand stopped her. Regina and Emma both looked up to see who that hand belonged to- Emma with annoyance- and who else was it but Robin. Dressed sharply and with that beaming smile on his face.

Sludge started pouring out of the coffee machines and dripped down the once clear window panes out front. “I'll pay for you. My name is Robin, by the way,” he said and Regina could only stare in wonder at his 'generosity' while Emma grit her teeth and clung onto the cash register with all her might as the world span around her.

_ **World Ninety Eight: Meet Cute AU** _

_ Once Upon a Meeting _

When she opened her eyes she was standing in the middle of a busy street, so busy in fact that someone bumped right into her the second she arrived. Emma nearly stumbled if she hadn't caught her balance. A bunch of papers fluttered around her as the other person let out an oof.

Emma swore, if that was Robin, she was about to deck him. But it was only Regina. A nerdy looking Regina. With glasses on her nose and hair in a ponytail coming loose, neck all bundled up in scarves.

“I'm sorry,” she said, stammering and flustered. “I didn't see you.” She was a bit breathless and red cheeked as she did this, scrambling to get all the papers together. They looked to be some sort of project for school she was working on.

“It's alright,” Emma chuckled and was about to bend down to help Regina when who should already be there, handing Regina a paper but Robin, a darling grin on his face.

“Oh, thank you,” Regina breathed out as their fingers brushed against each other in a moment that should have been shared between her and Emma. Emma could just about scream when the world spun once more and they were off to another world.

_ **World Ninety Nine: Smutty AU** _

_ Once Upon a Kiss_

Emma was flat on her back, a warm weight above her. When the bright flashes cleared from her vision she saw that Regina was hovering above her, fully dressed but with an expression that said soon that wouldn't be the case. She was leaning in over Emma, Emma wondering how the hell they had gotten here and not caring in the least as Regina smirked in that sexy manner of hers and pressed a soft kiss to Emma's beating pulse point, smiling against it when she felt it jump and get faster.

“My, isn't someone excited,” she drawled in a low husky voice as Emma slid her arms around Regina's back, holding her, reveling in her warmth and in that scent that was just so her.

Regina's kisses were impossibly soft, mapping up from Emma's pulse point to her jaw line to eventually her lips where they teasingly hovered over them, making Emma squirm in impatience.

Holy hell, Emma had been wanting to kiss and make out with Regina for the longest time. Would she finally be able to do it? Her breath was held captive in her lungs until Regina finally joined their lips, Emma's eyes shutting closed as she allowed the sensation of Regina Mills kissing her, fill her entirely.

The woman took command of her mouth, biting into her soft bottom lip, sliding a tongue inside to play with Emma's. As they made out slowly but surely, Regina began to rock into Emma's hips, sending a jolt of arousal through her.

Emma all but almost forgot that seconds ago she had been this close to decking Robin in his smarmy face. She rocked her hips back up into Regina's only for the woman to gasp into her mouth at a particular hard thrust and sit up, pulling their lips apart with a wet pop. Hooded eyes looked down at Emma, voice a bit unsteady with lust.

“Miss Swan,” she said, the title sending a roll of pleasure down Emma's back. “I do believe I am in charge here. You,” at this she swatted Emma's hips lightly before digging her fingers in and holding her back against the covers, “don't do anything except what I tell you. Are we clear?”

Emma nodded her head exuberantly. Emma could totally get behind Regina being on top. Just...anything, even hand holding would have been okay with Emma at this point. She was so starved for Regina. So starved for trying to be with her when all the other times she could not.

Regina leaned in once more and this time their lips moved more frantically, as their kisses heated up. Emma was roasting in her clothes, wanting to get them off. And she wanted to take Regina's off too. But not yet. She allowed Regina to roll her hips into her and hid the whimpers in the back of her throat. Hands raked down her shirt front, hungry and demanding.

“You are wearing far too many clothes, Miss Swan,” Regina said, biting on Emma's ear lobe.

Just as the kiss was going to evolve into something more, who would burst in through the door but Robin.

Naturally.

It seemed Robin's character had gone rogue and now was messing everything up for them.

Emma wouldn't let him ruin this for her any longer.

“Regina, you don't want her. You want me,” Robin declared, holding out his hand towards her. Regina looked at him, a pained expression mixed with confusion on her face.

“I...I do?” she questioned, in an inner turmoil. She slowly began to clamber off of Emma as if reacting to him pulling her in, like a fish on a hook. Some invisible power of his that always corrupted her to his side.

Not this damned time!

“Regina, let's run!” Emma cried out as Regina got off of her and Emma jumped from the bed, throwing the nearest thing she could grab at his head which turned out to be a lamp. It smashed hard, breaking and causing his face to bleed. He did not stop smiling however, only momentarily stopped so Emma could grab a hesitant Regina's hand as she pulled her out of the room.

_ **Author's Quarters** _

The author stared in horrified confusion as to what was going on. Right before his very eyes the ink on the page was coming alive and writing it's own story. Sentences flew in front of his eyes, detailing the dangerous tale of Emma trying to protect Regina as they were on the run from an omnipotent Robin.

“What the hell is going on? Is someone trying to ruin Regina's character and force her to be with Robin?

The doors to his office slammed open in answer and a man stood on the other end. He had a maniacal grin on his face. “Author, your time is up. Swanqueen will never happen, because Outlaw Queen is the one true ship!” he screamed out, holding a pen and paper in his hands. Items, he had stolen and that had given him unlawful power. “And I will write their love story for ages to come!”

“You are no author, just a lonely troll!” spat the author, getting up in his rage. The words on his page had stopped writing because so had the troll stopped writing before. Emma, Regina, and Robin's harrowing plight was left suspended in time.

“I _am_ an author!” the troll stomped their foot onto the ground childishly. “I am. I am! And I will destroy Swanqueen!”

“We'll see about that. Let's see if the pen is mightier than the pen,” the author said with choler and sat back into his seat, dipping his pen into the ink and writing down. The troll did the same, the scratch of pens filling the air. This was a competition, one to determine the fate of the author's characters.

_“Robin choked on his saliva and died.”_ Emma and Regina were backed up against the wall as Robin leered over them, sneering his sharp teeth in victory at cornering them, when all of a sudden he started coughing hard. His hands went to his throat as his face turned red, eyes wide in shock at this unexpected event, and he fell onto his back, twitching slightly until he stilled, eyes staring unseeing into the sky.

“Is...is he dead?” Emma leaned over and then kicked his body for good measure. He didn't react. How the hell had he died so suddenly? Regina was still looking so confused and all over the place, leaning against the wall for support while her head spun. She was literally an empty shell right now, her character corrupted and scooped clean by the troll.

**“Robin revives from the dead and has a sword he uses to stab Emma through!”** Robin suddenly bolted up, a sword in his hand that hadn't been there a second ago and that he gladly used to impale through Emma's guts.

Emma didn't even have a chance to cry out, blood gushing from her mouth as pain shot through her. She gripped the handle, trying to pull it out but his grip was stronger and he pushed it in more.

Regina just idled there, forgotten by both authors and thus unable to do anything.

_“Emma shoots lasers from her eyes and cuts his head off!”_ Emma felt anger welling up inside her at this unwarranted attack on her person. Anger that translated into heat inside her eyes. Two red beams shot out, burrowing into the fleshy part of Robin's neck and wiping his head clean off his shoulders. He didn't even scream as it went flying through the air, blood gushing from his neck.

**“Robin grows a new head. And then he turns into Superman!”** No sooner had the head touched the ground than a second head popped up from his neck, fully growing within a span of seconds as his clothes melted away and turned into superman's outfit.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Emma groused out as suddenly the sword in her side was gone and she was wearing a superman costume too.

**“Robin starts beating up Emma!”**

_“Emma counters his blows swiftly!”_

**“Robin uses ice breath to freeze her!”**

_“She dodges and doesn't get frozen!”_

The writers wrote in a frenzy, each trying to get the upper hand. Their writing turned to chicken scratch as they wrote faster and faster, hands cramping up. The author couldn't allow the troll to win. He had to outsmart him somehow!

Meanwhile, in the story, Emma and Robin were beating the shit out of each other superhero style and it was breaking apart city buildings, causing people to scream as they ran away in terror. Emma did not appreciate the super hero beating she was getting. Blood flavored her mouth, cold steel bit into her flesh, her bones screamed in pain as they collided with the ground, and her joints creaked and popped with holding back the assaults. She could barely see out of one eye and while Robin didn't look any better off, he wasn't relenting. Just had that perpetual smile on his smarmy face.

And then all of a sudden, Emma was gone from the story, being sucked away into blackness.

_“Emma Swan leaves the story and throws the troll's pen into the fire!”_ The author flourished with slashing marks as he wrote down the final phrase to win this battle.

The troll, hadn't been expecting this; he been writing Robin countering Emma. But with no Emma in the story, it didn't matter. Hastily he scribbled the sentence out and tried to amend it, grip sweaty on the pen, but a heavy thud behind him made him turn around to see that Emma was behind him, looking pissed off. She snatched the pen from his hand using her super strength and threw it into the fire with all her might.

It burned a bright orange as the ink spilled out.

“No!” the troll hollered, falling to his knees once Emma had snatched his pen out of his hand and thrown it into the blazing fireplace behind him, rendering him useless. “You've ruined everything!”

“No, but you almost did,” Emma spat back. She didn't appreciate someone playing with her life and her destiny, as well as those of her friends and family.

She jerked him up to his feet, holding his arms pinned behind his back as he continued to lament. “What are we going to do with him now?” she asked the author, waiting for his final verdict. The author steepled ink stained fingers together.

“Without the pen he is powerless.” He stood up, circled over to the troll who was straining in Emma's now superhuman hold. “Remember this, nothing will ever stop the might of Swanqueen, not even a single troll like you. Remember this, while you wallow in misery for the rest of eternity.”

As if on cue two men in police uniforms strode from the double doors. They had white sashes across their chests that said 'Moderators' on their chests. They would make sure he would never troll anyone ever again.

Emma handed them over to their hands and he screamed incomprehensible words and shook in their hold but to no avail. He was dragged out and at last silence filled the air. Emma and the author took the moment to absorb the peace and calm they now had.

“So,” the author plopped down into his chair, sighing out and running a hand through his hair, looking drained as if he had been the one in a fight to the death and not Emma. His desk was a mess of loose papers and ink stains. “You ready to go back to another world?”

Emma shook her head, surprising him. “You know, I've been thinking about something. And this whole, world hopping business, you writing anyone to my whims....it's....it's wrong.”

“Wrong?” he frowned, adjusted his glasses on his nose like he could see Emma better this way and understand the meaning behind her words.

Emma was never good at explaining herself but as the author allowed himself to read the confusing thoughts going through her head, he began to understand a bit more, piece by piece.

“Can...can the others be free too,” Emma asked, green eyes pleading.

The author frowned at her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that....earlier you said that I was free. A free person and no longer necessarily a character. But I want everyone else to be free too.”

He sucked in a heavy breath. “You do realize what you're asking me.”

“I do.”

“If I free them all, I'll lose control entirely of the world. I won't be able to help you, or even pull you out.”

“Maybe I don't want that,” Emma's voice got louder, bolder. “I want to experience life the way a _real_ person would. With only one chance to make things right. And I want the other people to make their own choices too. I want Regina to _choose_ me.”

“And if she doesn't? Then you won't have another opportunity to make things right. You'll have to live with your choices.”

“Then so be it,” Emma said bravely. Even if she got together with Regina in the new worlds, it wouldn't matter. Not in the real sense, because it had all been predetermined. And Emma couldn't stand knowing the reason Regina was with her was because the story had been written that way. She wanted Regina to want her of her own volition. Of her own will. And if she didn't....then Emma would live with the consequences.

The author sat down behind his desk, his movements slow now. He dipped his pen into the ink well. He swallowed. “If that is your desire, then I fear this is our last time seeing each other. Goodbye Emma Swan,” he said, a sad smile on his face.

“Goodbye author.” Emma gave him a wry grin. He had grown on her. She would miss him.

“My name is Samuel,” he said.

Emma corrected herself. “Goodbye, Samuel.”

And the portal whirled one final time above her as the office faded from her vision for the last time.

_ **World One Hundred ** _

_Storybrooke, Maine_

Emma sat in her yellow Bug, Henry in her back seat as he directed her towards Storybrooke. Except this time, she was more wont to believe his claims. Because she knew everything he said was true even if he didn't know it for sure and even if he didn't know that she knew. The familiar sign flashed by welcoming her and Emma felt nostalgia hit her stomach like a punch as her hands tightened on the steering wheel.

She was nervous for reasons that had everything to do with meeting Regina for the first and last time. There would be no second chances. She had used them all up. This was it.

The finale.

The car eventually was parked in front of the mansion Emma knew too well. She could remember every time she had been inside it, from the unpleasant, vicious fights as enemies, to the more pleasant, subdued, encounters as they sat as a family. She didn't even need Henry's directions but she humored him. And then, she was striding up to the door, swallowing down her anxiety. The door loomed in front of her, intimidating and so familiar that her gut was in knots. This was it, the beginning of the rest of her life.

She knocked on the door and it swung open as she held her back straight. She couldn't turn tail at this. She had to give this life, this love, everything she had.

Regina's all too familiar face appeared, beautiful as always and marred with confusion as she took in Emma, Henry hiding out in the car parked behind Emma's back. “Who are you?” she asked with a hint of suspicion.

Everything was the same about her. Even down to the gray dress and hair style.

Emma flashed her a relieved smile. This. This was how things were meant to be. How they should have gone. She didn't want a different world in which to love Regina in. She wanted this world. Even if she knew everything that would follow after this, Emma swore this time would be different. She wouldn't hold back on her feelings, even if there would be fighting and discontent before there could be friendship and trust. Because she'd had a hundred different worlds to love Regina in but this was the one that Emma truly wanted for their romance.

Because it was how things were meant to be. How they _should_ be.

“Hi, I'm Emma Swan, Henry's birth mother.”

_"There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story." _

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [ArtWork from/A Hundred Different Worlds to Love You.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20499584) by [alwaysthevillain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alwaysthevillain/pseuds/alwaysthevillain)


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